Pressure equalizing mesh

ABSTRACT

A pressure equalizing mesh has a plurality of connectors each resiliently connected to at least one other connector, or a plurality of displaceable cells and a plurality of resilient cell connectors, each of the cells being attached to at least one other cell by at least one of the cell connectors. The mesh distributes an applied force over an area of the mesh that increases as the applied force increases.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

Not Applicable

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

REFERENCE TO A “SEQUENCE LISTING,” A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING APPENDIX SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a pressure equalizing and pressure distributing mesh that may be used in chairs, beds, shoes and other manufactured goods.

2. Description of the Related Art

Occupational safety is an issue of growing concern. With modern workers working longer hours than ever before, increased emphasis has been placed on maintaining a safe and healthy working environment. It is becoming increasingly clear that long periods of time spent in uncomfortable office chairs can have a profound impact on the health and well-being of employees.

Furniture related health risks exist beyond the office. Time spent on uncomfortable and improperly supportive home and public furniture can also impact the health and wellbeing of people. Examples of furniture related health risks include circulatory ailments, poor posture, pain in the back, shoulders, head, neck, and legs. With ailments such as back pain affecting large numbers of employees, more comfortable furniture, such as a more comfortable office chair, can have a substantial impact on both the quality of life and the productivity of employees.

One important aspect of comfortable furniture is its ability to adequately distribute weight. Adequate distribution of weight may decrease muscle fatigue and reduce instances of injury and furniture related health risks.

Proper distribution of weight is important to reduce not only instances of workplace injury, but also the frequency and severity of pressure sores suffered by patients such as paraplegics who may be wheelchair bound.

Many techniques exist for the distribution of weight. One approach is the seat and back cushion. Seat cushions filled with compressible material, for example foam and/or springs, may serve to distribute weight. But seat and back cushions have multiple disadvantages. For example, cushions may be prone to puncture or otherwise nondurable. Additionally, when used for public seating as in public transit, seat and back cushions are susceptible to vandalism and present health risks including the communication of lice and/or bedbugs and the spread of mold. Cushioned seats may be poorly suited for outside use and may be costly to manufacture, especially where springs are used. Such disadvantages may be particularly acute where the cushion is made of an absorptive material such as a foam material. Seat and back cushions may also trap excess body heat between the cushions and a person's body. This problem may be particularly acute where the cushion is made of a thermal insulator such as a foam material or where the seat and back cushion does not allow for adequate ventilation of air. Additionally, many seat and back cushions have a tendency to degrade under ultra-violet light and sunlight.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with some embodiments of the invention, a pressure equalizing and pressure distributing mesh has a plurality of displaceable cells and a plurality of resilient connectors engaging the displaceable surfaces and which may be bendable and/or stretchable under pressure applied to the displaceable surfaces. Each of the surfaces is connected to at least one other surface by at least one of the connectors. In one embodiment the displaceable surfaces may constitute individual but interconnected buttons, seats or cushions. For another embodiment of the invention, the plurality of connectors are resiliently connected to one another and the displaceable surfaces of the mesh may be formed as part of the connectors themselves. The mesh distributes an applied force over an area of the mesh that increases as the applied force increases.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

A better appreciation of the present invention and its attendant advantages will be readily obtained by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a chair seat or back made from a pressure equalizing and pressure distributing mesh according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 2A-2G are top views of several arrangements of cells according to embodiments of the present invention;

FIGS. 3A-3D are respectively side, top, side, and top views showing how cells may be connected by cell connectors according to embodiments of the present invention;

FIGS. 4A-4C are side views showing examples of some of the shapes that cell connectors may take according to embodiments of the present invention;

FIGS. 5A-5H are alternately bottom and top views showing examples of possible arrangements of cells and cell connectors that may form planar matrices according to embodiments of the present invention;

FIGS. 5I-5O are top views showing examples of possible arrangements of cells and cell connectors that may form planar matrices according to embodiments of the present invention;

FIGS. 6A-6C are side schematic views showing how pressure of a concentrated force may be distributed by localized displacement of cells within a mesh according to embodiments of the present invention;

FIGS. 7A-7B are top perspective views showing the functionality of a layered mesh according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

FIGS. 8A-8F are schematic perspective views showing, respectively, a chair, a wheelchair, a couch, a bench, a bed, and a shoe sole incorporating a mesh constructed in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In describing the preferred embodiments of the present invention illustrated in the drawings, specific terminology is employed for clarity. However, the present invention is not intended to be limited to that terminology, and it is to be understood that each specified element includes all technical equivalents.

The present invention includes a pressure equalizing and pressure distributing mesh that can be used in the manufacture of goods such as chairs, wheelchairs, couches, benches, beds, and shoe soles to provide a comfortable and safe support surface that is inexpensive to manufacture, durable, sanitary, resistant to vandalism, and allows for the free circulation of air (air permeable).

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a chair seat 11 made from a mesh according to an embodiment of the present invention. The chair seat 11 may be used in any chair, for example an office chair, a train chair, or a wheelchair.

The chair seat 11 may include a chair seat frame 13 and a chair seat surface 12 that may be formed from a mesh according to embodiments of the present invention. The chair seat 11, including the frame 13 and the surface 12, may be made of a synthetic material, for example plastic, and may be fabricated as a unit by plastic injection molding or a comparable fabrication technique. Alternatively, the frame 13 and the surface 12 may be formed separately and subsequently attached.

The mesh, according to an embodiment of the present invention, comprises a set of buttons, cells, or pressure receiving seats or cushions resiliently attached to one another by connectors. The cell connectors stretch, bend or straighten out when under pressure but return substantially to their original form when pressure is removed. The cells and cell connectors may be fabricated as a unit or may be formed separately and subsequently connected. The cells may be formed in a wide variety of shapes: for example, each cell may be a cylinder (disk), a parallelepiped, or a prism. Each cell may be connected to one or more adjacent cells by one or more cell connectors in two dimensions, thereby forming a planar matrix. Alternatively, the resilient connectors may connect directly to one another without the presence of cells.

The mesh composition of embodiments of the present invention allows for the circulation and free-flow of air through the mesh. This promotes a more comfortable feel by allowing for the evaporation of perspiration of a person making use of the pressure distributing mesh. This feature is especially helpful when the mesh is used as a furniture surface or a sole of a shoe.

The surface 12 is connected to the frame 13 and is suspended so that the mesh of embodiments of the present invention provides support without bottoming-out in the manner of, say, a mattress or a bed. Bottoming-out is a phenomenon that affects particular support systems such as spring-support mattresses. A spring-support mattress resting on a hard support will bottom out when enough pressure is applied to fully compress one or more springs. In accordance with the invention, where the mesh does not press against a hard surface, it continues to stretch and distribute the pressure as the pressure increases.

FIGS. 2A-2G are top schematic views showing various arrangements of cells according to embodiments of the present invention. FIG. 2A shows an arrangement of disk shaped cells. FIG. 2B shows another arrangement of disk shaped cells resulting in a greater cell density than the arrangement of FIG. 2A. FIG. 2C shows an arrangement of polygon-prism shaped cells. FIG. 2D shows another arrangement of polygon-prism shaped cells resulting in a greater cell density than the arrangement of FIG. 2C. FIG. 2E shows an arrangement of triangular prism shaped cells.

All cells within the mesh need not be of the same shape or size. For example, there may be two or more differently shaped cells such as the arrangement shown in FIG. 2F of polygon-prism shaped cells and rectangular parallelepiped shaped cells. FIG. 2G shows an arrangement of oblong-prism shaped cells.

The cell connectors used to attach the cells to their adjacent cells provide elastic resistance when one or more cells become displaced in response to applied pressure. There may be any number of cell connectors used to attach one cell within the mesh to adjacent cells. For example, each cell mesh may be attached to four adjacent cells by four cell connectors. The cell connectors may take a number of shapes, including disk shape or rectangular prism shape. Each cell connector may connect two or more cells together.

Cell connectors may be made of the same material as that used to make the cells. For example, the cell connectors may be plastic. This may be helpful when cells and cell connectors are manufactured as a single unit, as by injection molding, compression molding, or rolling. The cell connectors may be formed below the cells, for example, in a plane parallel to the plane of the cells. FIG. 3A is a side view showing how cell connectors 32 may connect cells 31 to their adjacent cells where the cell connectors 32 are below the cells 31. FIG. 3B is a top view of the cells 31 and cell connectors 32 shown in FIG. 3A. Alternatively, the cell connectors 34 may be formed between the cells 33 and in the same plane as the cells 33, as shown in side view in FIG. 3C. FIG. 3D is a top view of the cells 33 and cell connectors 34 shown in FIG. 3C.

FIGS. 4A-4C are side views of some additional examples of shapes that the cell connectors may take. FIG. 4A shows a u-shaped or inverted arch-shaped cell connector 42 connecting cells 41. FIG. 4B shows a sinusoidal-shaped cell connector 44 connecting cells 43. FIG. 4C shows a v-shaped cell connector 46 connecting cells 45. The size, shape and material of the cell connector used may be selected so as to adjust the support and/or comfort characteristics of the mesh. Additionally, certain sizes and/or shapes may make the mesh easier or less expensive to manufacture. For example a flat disk-shaped cell connector may be easier to manufacture than a sinusoidal shaped cell connector.

While FIGS. 3A-3D and FIGS. 4A-4C show only a single line of cells and cell connectors, it should be understood that cells and cell connectors may be similarly attached in multiple rows and columns to form the planar matrix discussed above and pictured in FIG. 1 and FIGS. 2A-2G.

FIGS. 5A-5O show some examples of possible arrangements of cells and cell connectors that may form planar matrices. FIG. 5A is a bottom-up view of cells 51 formed as disks, each of which is interconnected (except at the periphery of the matrix) to four adjacent cells 51 by four cell connectors 52 attached to the bottoms of the cells 51. Here the cell connecters 52 are also formed as disks. FIG. 5B shows a top-down view of the same arrangement as shown in FIG. 5A.

FIGS. 5C and 5D are respectively bottom and top views of another arrangement of cells 53 and cell connectors 54 forming a planar matrix. Here each cell 53 is interconnected (except at the periphery of the matrix) with six similar cells 53 by oval-prism cell connectors 54.

FIGS. 5E and 5F are respectively bottom and top views of another arrangement of cells 55 and cell connectors 56 forming a planar matrix. Here each cell 55 is shaped as an oblong prism and interconnected (except at the periphery of the matrix) with four similar cells 55 by disk shaped cell connectors 56.

FIGS. 5G and 5H are respectively bottom and top views of another arrangement of cells 57 and cell connectors 58 forming a planar matrix. Here each cell 57 is shaped as a triangular prism and interconnected with (except at the periphery of the matrix) three similar cells 57 by oval-prism cell connectors 58.

Multiple other possible arrangements of cells and cell connectors may be used. FIG. 5I is a top view of another arrangement of cells 59, 510 and cell connectors 511 forming a planar matrix. Some cells 59 are shaped as hexagon-prisms and other cells 510 are square-parallelepiped shaped. In this example, the hexagon-prism shaped cells 59 are connected only to the square-parallelepiped cells 5 10 and the square-parallelepiped cells 510 are connected only to the hexagon-prism shaped cells 59. Each cell 59 or 510 is interconnected (except at the periphery of the matrix) with four adjacent cells 510 or 59 by rectangle-parallelepiped cell connectors 511.

FIG. 5J is a top view of another arrangement of cells 512 and cell connectors 513 forming a planar matrix. Here each cell 512 is shaped as a hexagon-prism and interconnected (except at the periphery of the matrix) with six similar cells 512 by rectangle-parallelepiped cell connectors 513.

FIG. 5K is a top view of another arrangement of cells 514 and cell connectors 515 forming a planar matrix. Here each cell 514 is shaped as a disk and interconnected (except at the periphery of the matrix) with four adjacent cells 514 by disk-shaped cell connectors 515. The cells 514 are not all of the same size. Cells are sized progressively larger as they are located farther from a central vertical axis 516 of the arrangement. This variation of cell 514 sizes may be used to change the elasticity and/or other characteristics of the mesh.

In addition to varying cell size, the thickness of cell connectors may also be changed. By varying these and/or other mesh characteristics, the degree of elastic resistance offered by the various cell connectors can be adjusted. Varying the degree of elastic resistance between particular cells can be used to create regions of the mesh having varying support characteristics. These regions can be used to enhance the comfort of certain applications of the mesh. For example, when used as a sole for a shoe, the elastic resistance used in supporting a heel of a foot may differ from that used to support an arch of a foot.

FIG. 5L is a top view of another arrangement of cells 517 and cell connectors 518 forming a planar matrix. Here each cell is shaped as a disk and interconnected (except at the periphery of the matrix) with four adjacent cells 517 by disk-shaped cell connectors 518.

FIG. 5M is a top view of another arrangement of cells 519 and cell connectors 520 forming a planar matrix. Here each cell 519 is shaped as a hexagon-prism. Cell connectors 520 need not connect a cell 519 to all of the cells 519 adjacent to that cell. Here, each cell 519 is connected (except at the periphery of the matrix) to two adjacent cells 519 by rectangle-parallelepiped cell connectors 520 even though each cell 519 has four adjacent cells 519.

FIG. 5N is a top view of another arrangement of cells 521 and cell connectors 522 forming a planar matrix. Here each cell 521 is shaped as a hexagon-prism. Cell connectors 522 may connect more than two cells 521 together. Here each cell 521 is connected (except at the periphery of the matrix) to four adjacent cells 521 by x-shaped rectangle-parallelepiped cell connectors 522. Each cell connector 522 connects four adjacent cells 521.

FIG. 5O is a top view of another arrangement of cells 523 and cell connectors 524 forming a planar matrix. Here each cell 523 is shaped as a hexagon-prism and interconnected (except at the periphery of the matrix) with four similar cells 524 by rectangle-parallelepiped cell connectors 523.

FIGS. 6A-6B show how pressure of a concentrated force may be distributed by a localized displacement of cells in accordance with the present invention. FIG. 6A is a side view of several cells 61 and cell connectors 62. FIG. 6B is a side view of the several cells 61 and cell connectors 62 shown in FIG. 6A with pressure being applied to the center cell 61.

As pressure is applied to one or more cells 61, the cell connectors 62 provide elastic resistance. The cell 61 is displaced downwards as pressure is applied. The elastic resistance provided by the cell connectors 62 provides an upwards counterforce to the applied pressure. The farther the pressured cell 61 is displaced, the more counterforce is provided by the cell connectors 62. This counterforce provides support to the object pressing down on the cell 61.

FIG. 6C shows how pressure may be distributed in accordance with the present invention. FIG. 6C is a side view of a row of cells 63. Pressure is applied to the row 63 at two points as indicated by the two arrows 64, 65. As pressure is applied to particular cells 66, 67, those particular cells 66, 67 displace. While cells in the immediate vicinity of the displaced cells 66, 67 may also displace, their displacement will be less than that of the pressured cells. This allows for the mesh to conform to the contour objects that are placed on the mesh, for example a seated person, while at the same time allowing for the distribution of the applied force to the adjacent cells thereby reducing the reactive force at any one point. As the applied pressure increases, the pressure is distributed among a greater number of cells. In this way, the mesh distributes the applied pressure over an area of the mesh that increases as the applied pressure increases.

As described above, each cell of the mesh may be connected to multiple other cells by resilient cell connectors. The cells may be inelastic or the cells may be resilient. When an object such as a seated person is placed on the mesh, pressure is applied to one or more cells in varying degrees. Each pressured cell will displace to a degree that depends on the degree of pressure being applied to that particular cell. The degree of pressure being applied to each particular cell will generally depend on the shape and weight distribution of the object placed on the mesh. Each displaced cell will provide counterforce proportional to the degree of displacement.

As the object placed on the mesh is moved the shape and weight distribution of the object will change. As this occurs, the degree of pressure being applied to various cells may change. Cells relieved of pressure will tend to return to their initial positions and cells where pressure is increased will tend to displace. This allows the mesh to flex to accommodate the movement of the object.

The elasticity of the cell connectors may be selectively designed by varying the material and/or density of the material used to fabricate the cell connectors, by changing the length and/or shape of the cell connectors, or by changing the thickness of the cell connectors. The mesh may be designed so that cell connectors in particular areas of the mesh offer greater elasticity than cell connectors in other areas of the mesh. This will allow for a more ergonomic design of the mesh when incorporated into products.

Embodiments of the present invention need not be planar. For example, the mesh may be contoured to more naturally accommodate a seated person. Principles of ergonomics may be used in the contouring of the mesh.

Another mesh according to an embodiment of the present invention utilizes cell connectors that connect cells to adjacent cells above and/or below the cells thereby creating a layered or three-dimensional mesh. This layered three-dimensional mesh may be able to further reduce the degree of displacement of cells adjacent and/or near pressured cells by providing support from three dimensions of cells and cell connectors.

The benefits of the present invention may be achieved with two or three layers or more. Multiple layers may be formed separately and later connected, for example, by using glue. Alternatively, multiple layers may be formed already attached.

FIGS. 7A-7B are perspective views of a layered mesh according to the present invention. FIG. 7A shows the layered mesh. This mesh may be formed of a first layer made of a first layer of cells 71 and a second layer made of a second layer of cells 72. Each cell may be connected to adjacent cells in three dimensions by cell connectors 73.

FIG. 7B shows the layered mesh of FIG. 7A when pressure is applied to a cell 71, as represented by an arrow 74. Here, there may be a higher number of cell connectors 73 and displacement of those cells 71, 72 adjacent to the pressured cell 71 may be further minimized because adjacent cells gain additional stability from attached layers of cells 72.

FIGS. 8A-8F are perspective views showing, respectively, a chair, a wheelchair, a couch, a bench, a bed, and a shoe sole incorporating a mesh according to embodiments of the present invention. FIG. 8A is a perspective view showing a chair according to an embodiment of the present invention where both the seat 81 and back 82 are formed from the mesh. Other embodiments of the present invention include a chair where only the seat 81 is formed from the mesh and a chair where only the back 82 is formed from the mesh. FIG. 8B is a perspective view showing a wheelchair according to an embodiment of the present invention where both the seat 83 and back 84 are formed from the mesh. Other embodiments of the present invention include a wheelchair where only the seat 83 is formed from the mesh and a wheelchair where only the back 84 is formed from the mesh. FIG. 8C is a perspective view showing a couch according to an embodiment of the present invention where the seat 85, back 86, and arms 87 are formed from the mesh. Other embodiments of the present invention include a couch where one or two of the seat 85, back 86, and arms 87 are formed from the mesh. FIG. 8D is a perspective view showing a bench where both the seat 88 and back 89 are formed from the mesh. Other embodiments of the present invention include a bench where only the seat 88 is formed from the mesh and a bench where only the back 89 is formed from the mesh. FIG. 8E is a perspective view showing a bed according to the present invention where the mattress 810 is formed from the mesh. A shoe sole may be formed from the mesh. The shoe sole may be either an inner shoe sole (insole) or an outer shoe sole (outsole) (not pictured). FIG. 8F is a top view showing an inner shoe sole (insole) 811 according to an embodiment of the present invention where the insole 811 is formed from the mesh. A frame 812 of the mesh insole 811 may be supported by an elevating ridge 812 that allows the insole 811 to displace without bottoming-out.

The embodiments of the invention described above are illustrative, and many variations can be introduced on these embodiments without departing from the spirit of the invention or from the scope of the appended claims. For example, elements and/or features of different illustrative embodiments may be combined with each other and/or substituted for each other within the scope of this invention and the appended claims. Also, the drawing scales are not to be considered as depicting the relative sizes of the mesh cells and the articles of manufacture in which the present novel mesh is incorporated. 

1. A mesh for reacting to an applied force, said mesh comprising a plurality of displaceable cells and a plurality of cell connectors resiliently connecting said cells, each of said cells being connected to least one other cell by at least one of said connectors, said mesh equalizing said applied force over an area of said mesh that increases as said applied force increases.
 2. The mesh of claim 1, wherein said plurality of cells and said plurality of cell connectors are arranged so that when pressure is applied to one or more cells, the one or more pressured cells may become displaced.
 3. The mesh of claim 2, wherein said plurality of cells and said plurality of cell connectors are arranged so that cells adjacent to the one or more pressured cells do not become displaced to the extent that the one or more pressured cells become displaced.
 4. The mesh of claim 1, wherein two or more cell connectors of the plurality of cell connectors offer different degrees of elastic resistance.
 5. The mesh of claim 4, wherein said different degrees of elastic resistance provide one or more regions of said mesh with varying support characteristics to enhance comfort.
 6. The mesh of claim 1, wherein one or more of said plurality of cells are shaped as a cylinder.
 7. The mesh of claim 1, wherein one or more of said plurality of cells are shaped as a parallelepiped.
 8. The mesh of claim 1, wherein one or more of said plurality of cells are shaped as a prism.
 9. The mesh of claim 1, wherein said plurality of cells and said plurality of cell connectors are formed as a single integrated unit.
 10. The mesh of claim 9, wherein said plurality of cells and said plurality of cell connectors are formed by injection molding, compression molding, or rolling.
 11. The mesh of claim 1, wherein said plurality of cells and said plurality of cell connectors form a planar matrix.
 12. The mesh of claim 1, wherein said plurality of cells and said plurality of cell connectors form a contoured matrix.
 13. The mesh of claim 12, wherein said contoured matrix is ergonomically contoured.
 14. The mesh of claim 1, wherein said mesh is formed as a chair seat.
 15. The mesh of claim 1, wherein said mesh is formed as a chair back.
 16. The mesh of claim 1, wherein said mesh is air-permeable.
 17. The mesh of claim 1, wherein said mesh is weather resistant.
 18. The mesh of claim 1, wherein said mesh is incorporated into a seat or back of a means for supporting a human body in a seated position.
 19. The mesh of claim 18, wherein said means is selected from the group consisting of a chair, a wheelchair, a couch and a bench.
 20. The mesh of claim 1, wherein said mesh is formed as a bed surface.
 21. The mesh of claim 1, wherein said mesh is formed as a shoe sole.
 22. A mesh for reacting to an applied force, said mesh comprising a plurality of connectors, each of said connectors being resiliently connected to least one other connector, said mesh distributing said applied force over an area of said mesh that increases as said applied force increases. 